Where To Buy Chikankari Lehenga From? + Prices

Are you also crushing on Chikankari Lehenga like I am? I have been obsessed with searching for the best pastel Chikankari Lehenga that one can wear to their mehendi or pre-wedding functions. Chikankari Lehenga has been in trend recently, and have got a lot of celebrity love this past year.

Just to refresh your memory. Our recent return Hollywood pataka Priyanka Chopra wore a beautiful yellow Chikankari kurta on her Roka ceremony. The outfit was designed by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla. It was simple, sweet and traditional, and precisely what Lucknowi fabric stands for.

Source – Priyanka Chopra, InstagramaSometime early this year, Sonam Kapoor’s ivory Lehenga broke the internet for its fabulous design by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla. It was simple, yet the blouse was a stunning shining gold piece, that added the oomph to the whole look. Sonam accessorised the outfit with white gajra that looked absolutely breathtaking.

So, before I turn this into a Bollywood wedding saga, what I meant was Chikankari Lehenga’s look great not just for occasional wear, but even in weddings. It might not be your first choice for a bridal wear. But it should definitely be a contender for your Pre-Bridal Wear.

If you are a fan of Chikankari Lehenga, then here are some of the best designers in the industry for you. But before that, here’s a general guideline for shopping for Chikankari Lehengas.

What should be your budget for buying Chikankari Lehenga?

At least INR 60k if you want a truly worth it designer piece. Most of the lehengas in this post are upwards INR 50k, and I will tell you why. Chikan material if you go to buy from any local source will cost you easily INR 1000 per metre upwards for the most basic chikan work. The more elaborate pieces can cost anywhere from INR 2500-4000 a metre. Please remember that for a flared lehenga, there is a lot of cloth required. That mixed with the cutting designs, patterns, change in border etc-etc. Designers are bound to charge heavily for this material.

If you are a budget bride, I would suggest looking for a Banarasi Lehenga instead. It is an easier material to work with. Even if you score a banarasi skirt, you can find your way into buying separate budget blouse and dupatta pieces to go with your lehenga.

If you’re looking for budget Chikankari Lehenga, then get in touch with designer Suruchi Parakh. Her lehengas typically cost between INR 20k to INR 40k, which is far less than what you would pay for other designer Chikankari Lehenga’s.

Anjul Bhandari

Anjul Bhandari is my newest this month favourite designer to see. I have been stalking this designer for a while now. In fact, the whole idea behind chikankari lehengas came to me when I saw beautiful bridal pieces in his collection.

The latest 2018 bridal collection has gorgeous lilacs, pink, rose gold and gold chikankari lehengas. Probably one of the best range I have seen while researching lucknowi lehengas.

Anjul Bhandari Ivory Chinkankari Lehenga Cost – INR 3,52,800

Swati Manish Chikankari Lehengas

If variety is what you’re looking for, then look no further. Swati Manish Chikankari Lehenga comes in all possible colours you can imagine. Every season, the designer showcases her newer collections with some chikankari lehengas to choose from. Mind you, these are all single pieces. So in case you\re crushing over something specific, find out from the designer if it’s even available.

This is the first time I’ve come across this brand. Talking Threads is an E-Commerce site where you can shop for womenswear – lehengas, sarees, etc. Their collection is pretty amazing. Plus the price is not something that is ‘cheap’ per say and will make you think about duplicacy, or replica.

I am a big advocate of DIY your lehenga if you are a budget bride. But in the case of Chikankari Lehenga, I would strongly recommend not trying a DIY project. If you notice any of the lehenga skirts, you will see that every alternate lehenga-kalli has a different pattern. The border has a different design. It’s very very hard to replicate by giving the material to a local boutique tailor or designer.

Sumona on Couture Yard

If you have a healthy budget of under INR 1 Lakh and really want to go for a chikankari lehenga, I would suggest opting for lighter shades. The dark reds and blacks don’t really have the same appeal as pastel colours like the ones above. They look super elegant and very-very sober. If chatak-matak is your thing, then this blog post will not make you happy 🙂

A Bit Of History About Chikankari Work

Chikankari is the technique of creating intricate designer patterns on a fabric, all done by hand. While the exact origin of the art form continues to be a mystery, there is evidence that chikan was present during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya in 3rd Century AD. Others believe that Mughals introduced this Persian craft to India in the 17th century.

Noor Jahan, consort to the Mughal emperor, Jahangir, was skilled at embroidery with a particular fondness for chikankari work. Even Jahangir was a fan and championed the art form. Back then, muslin and mulmul were the most popularly used fabrics, as they were ideal for the warm, humid climate. – Source, Journal Aashni & Co.

House of Kotwara

Ivory Chikankari Lehenga House of Kotwara Price – INR 4,20,000

Ivory Pure Georgette House of Kotwara Lehenga Cost – INR 3,41,600

House of Kotwara is known for its make in India campaigns and more the Lucknowi Chikan work. They are premium designers. I have come across some lehenga prices, and they are right at the top with other premium designers. That said, if you are interested, they are definitely worth checking out. House of Kotwara primarily has a lot of bright whites, ivory, golds, and pastel colours in their collection.

Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla

If you want to know who is the king of Chikankari Lehengas in premium wedding designers, it has to be Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla. All the top Bollywood celebrities, all swear by his designs. Plus these days, brides are not shying away from buying this premium designer duo’s outfits either.

Mind you, they are very very expensive. Think INR 2.5 Lakh upwards. Most of their good heavy designs are easily INR 3 Lakh+. But if you have a bomb budget for your lehenga, here are a couple that you should see from their collection.

I know I haven’t really put up any budget chikankari lehengas. But truth be told, I didn’t find any good ones worth sharing. In case any of you’ll have any recommendations please do tell and I will be happy to share it in this post.

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